Method and device for navigating inside an image

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to at least one image section which is represented according to a zoom factor selected from a number of different zoom factors. Either the represented image section is changed when the zoom factor is lower than a zoom threshold value, or a marker representation superimposing the image section is displaced when the zoom factor is higher than a zoom threshold value, via input elements.

[0001] The invention relates to a method and an arrangement fornavigating within an image displayed specifically segment by segmentaccording to a zoom factor.

[0002] Rapid technical progress in the field of mobile communicationshas led in recent years to the development and provision of a largenumber of different mobile telephones which, however, generally have asmall-area display. Future mobile telephones will be able to receiveInternet content such as html pages via the mobile radio network. Toshow such pages on the small-area displays it will be necessary todisplay them segment by segment. This can be implemented in apracticable manner by means of suitable navigation functions, inparticular suitable zoom and scrolling functions; however, convenienthandling of such navigation functions, particularly in the case ofportable devices such as mobile telephones, precludes a high degree ofminiaturization.

[0003] The object of the invention is now to specify a method and anarrangement allowing the user to navigate conveniently within an image,particularly where space is at a premium.

[0004] The object is achieved by the features recited in the independentclaims. Advantageous and practical developments will emerge from thedependent claims.

[0005] According to the invention, at least one image segment istherefore displayed according to a zoom factor. Input elements are usedeither to change the displayed image segment if the zoom factor is lessthan a zoom threshold value or to move a marker display superimposed onthe image segment if the zoom factor is greater than a zoom thresholdvalue.

[0006] The term “image” also encompasses text or Internet content suchas e.g. html pages, the image being displayable, for example, segment bysegment within a window forming a frame represented on a display.Changing an image segment also includes moving it beyond windowboundaries, the portion of the image lying outside the window no longerbeing displayed, which is also known as “scrolling” in the case of textsin particular.

[0007] In particular, using the same input element for both changing theimage segment and moving the marker allows the following convenient andintuitive navigation through an image displayed on a portable device:

[0008] First the input element is used to roughly select the desiredimage segment at a low zoom factor, i.e. overviewable but imprecisedisplay of the image, by changing i.e. moving the displayed imagesegment or by scrolling through the image. When the required imagesegment is displayed, the zoom factor is increased, e.g. automaticallyafter a pre-defined time or manually by user entry of the zoom factor,causing the image to be displayed less overviewably but thecorresponding image segment to be displayed more precisely. If the zoomfactor is greater than a zoom threshold value, the input element is usedto move the marker now displayed. According to embodiments of theinvention, menu items or html links can now be selected by the marker,or further movement of the image segment is possible when the marker isplaced in a corresponding pre-defined border zone of the window.

[0009] To achieve the object there is additionally specified anarrangement specifically set up to perform the method according to theinvention or one of its developments.

[0010] The invention will now be described in greater detail withreference to preferred exemplary embodiments and the Figures listedbelow:

[0011]FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of a variant of the invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a variant of an arrangement accordingto the invention.

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a window represented in a display in five differentstages of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the inventionfor navigating through a text.

[0014]FIG. 1a shows text (image) displayed at a zoom factor lower than apre-defined zoom threshold value. By actuating the input element, theimage display is moved in such a way that the image segment (ABC) ofinterest is displayed (FIG. 1b). The zoom factor is now increased, e.g.manually by means of a suitable user input or automatically after a timelapse, in order to display the required image segment (ABC) moreprecisely (FIG. 1c). If the zoom factor is greater than a pre-definedzoom threshold value, a marker m is superimposed on the displayed imagesegment (image) (FIG. 1d); in addition, actuating the input element nolonger results in the image segment (image) being moved but in themarker m being moved. According to an embodiment of the invention,however, moving the image display takes place when the marker is locatedin a corresponding border zone of the window. Thus, for example, theimage display is moved to the right when the marker is located in apre-defined left-hand border zone of the window (FIG. 1e) and the imagedisplay is shifted downward when the marker is placed in a pre-definedupper border zone of the window (FIG. 1f). When navigating through anhtml page or a corresponding Internet page in another format, it ispossible to mark Internet links using the marker and to select Internetlinks by actuating an input element, in particular the input elementalso used to move the marker.

[0015]FIG. 2 shows a variant of an arrangement according to theinvention, said arrangement being, for example, part of a mobiletelephone or of a portable computer.

[0016] To control the arrangement, the representation of displaycontents and the processes implemented by the arrangement, there isprovided a program-controlled processor device PE, such as e.g. amicrocontroller which can also incorporate a processor CPU and a storagedevice SPE.

[0017] Depending on the variant, other components assigned to theprocessor device, belonging to the processor device, controlled by theprocessor device or controlling the processor device, such as a digitalsignal processor or further memory devices can be disposed inside oroutside the processor device PE—components whose basic operation inconjunction with a processor device will be sufficiently well-known to aperson skilled in the art and which will not therefore be described ingreater detail here.

[0018] There is additionally provided an input element EE which can beimplemented by a so-called four direction switch, a joystick, atouchpad, a trackball or equivalent items.

[0019] To display a window framing an image or an image segment, thereis provided a display DPL on which there is displayed on the window(superimposed on the image segment) or alongside the window, in additionto a marker (or pointer) m, a first display element (format) whichreproduces the format, e.g. portrait or landscape, of the entire imageto be displayed.

[0020] In addition, the display DPL is used to display a second displayelement, a portion of which (zoom) is highlighted, said portion beingselected as a function of the current zoom factor of the representationof the image segment. The highlighted portion increases e.g. linearlywith the zoom factor.

[0021] A third display element pos is used to display the position ofthe displayed image segment within the overall image, the position ofthe third display element relative to a reference point of the firstdisplay element being determined by the position of the marker displayrelative to a reference point of the image.

[0022] The different components of the arrangement can exchange datawith the processor CPU via a bus system BUS or input/output interfacesIOS and, if necessary, suitable controllers.

[0023] Depending on the variant, the storage device SPE, which can alsobe one or more volatile and/or nonvolatile memory chips, or parts of thestorage device SPE, can be implemented as part of the processor devicePE (shown in Figure) or can be implemented as an external storage device(not shown in Figure) located outside the processor device PE. Theprogram data, such as the control commands or control procedures usedfor controlling the arrangement or for controlling the processes carriedout on the basis of the arrangement, are stored in the storage deviceSPE.

[0024] In addition to the variants of the invention explained above,there are a large number of other variants coming within the scope ofthe invention that are not described further here but which can beeasily translated into practice on the basis of the exemplaryembodiments illustrated.

1. Method for navigating within an image, wherein at least one imagesegment is displayed according to a zoom factor, wherein the displayedimage segment is changed by an input element (EE) if the zoom factor isless than a zoom threshold value, and wherein a marker display (m)superimposed on the image segment is moved by the input element if thezoom factor is greater than a zoom threshold value.
 2. Method accordingto claim 1, wherein one of at least four directions is selected by meansof a first input element (EE).
 3. Method according to one of thepreceding claims, wherein the format (format) of the image is displayedby a first display element.
 4. Method according to one of the precedingclaims, wherein a portion (zoom) of a second display element ishighlighted, the portion being selected as a function of the currentzoom factor of the display of the image segment.
 5. Arrangement fornavigating within an image having a display device (DPL) for displayingat least one image segment according to a zoom factor, and fordisplaying a marker (m) that can be moved over the image segment, havingan input element (EE) and, having a processor device (PE) forcontrolling the display of the image segment and the marker display andconfigured in such a way that the displayed image segment is changed bythe input element when the zoom factor is less than a zoom thresholdvalue, and that a marker display superimposed on the image segment ismoved by the input element when the zoom factor is greater than a zoomthreshold value.
 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the firstinput element (EE) is designed to select one of at least fourdirections.
 7. Arrangement according to one of claims 5 to 6, having adisplay device (DPL) for displaying a first display element, and havinga processor device (PE) for controlling the display of the first displayelement and which is configured in such a way that, the format (format)of the image is displayed by the first display element.
 8. Arrangementaccording to one of claims 5 to 7, having a display device (DPL) fordisplaying a second display element, and having a processor device (PE)for controlling the display of the second display element and which isconfigured in such a way that, a portion (zoom) of the second displayelement is highlighted, said portion being selected as a function of thecurrent zoom factor of the display of the image segment.